From Sochi, Russia
Everyone expected a battle between World Cup champion Martins Dukurs and the Russian Rocket Alexander Tretyakov. The Russian, on home ice, has made it a little less of a battle and more of a skirmish thus far, setting a track record and push record in the first heat, backing that up with the fastest run in the second to take a .56 lead over the 2012 and 2013 Triple Trophy winner. Dukurs had two solid runs himself, but will have to find some speed and hope for a mistake if he wants to upend the big Russian.
The battle for bronze, at the moment, is a two-man event between John Daly and Matt Antoine, both of the United States. Antoine came into the second heat in third, but a huge second run for John Daly coupled with one long skid for Antoine flip-flopped the running order for the two countrymen. Russian Sergei Chudinov is fifth going into the second day of action, .44 out of a bronze medal position.
John Fairbairn leads the way for Canada in a tie for eighth place, while teammate Eric Neilson sits just outside of the top ten in 12th. Fairbairn’s tie is with British slider Kristan Bromley. Bromley had a very quick second run to move him up to eighth. Bromley’s countryman, Dom Parsons, is in the top ten in a tie for tenth.
American Kyle Tress is 21st after two runs, but just needs one solid run to move himself into the top 20.
Results after two heats:
| Pos | Name | Nation | Draw | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total |
| 1 | Alexander Tretyakov | RUS | 5 | 55.95 | 56.04 | 1:51.99 |
| 2 | Martins Dukurs | LAT | 3 | 56.18 | 56.37 | 1:52.55 |
| 3 | John Daly | USA | 9 | 56.91 | 56.67 | 1:53.58 |
| 4 | Matthew Antoine | USA | 2 | 56.89 | 56.95 | 1:53.84 |
| 5 | Sergei Chudinov | RUS | 8 | 56.98 | 57.04 | 1:54.02 |
| 6 | Tomass Dukurs | LAT | 4 | 57.03 | 57.06 | 1:54.09 |
| 7 | Frank Rommel | GER | 1 | 57.19 | 56.95 | 1:54.14 |
| 8 | John Fairbairn | CAN | 6 | 57.34 | 56.92 | 1:54.26 |
| 8 | Kristan Bromley | GBR | 11 | 57.24 | 57.02 | 1:54.26 |
| 10 | Nikita Tregybov | RUS | 17 | 57.44 | 56.96 | 1:54.40 |
| 10 | Dominic Parsons | GBR | 13 | 57.23 | 57.17 | 1:54.40 |
| 12 | Eric Neilson | CAN | 14 | 57.41 | 57.01 | 1:54.42 |
| 13 | Sungbin Yun | KOR | 18 | 57.54 | 57.02 | 1:54.56 |
| 14 | Alexander Kröckel | GER | 7 | 57.21 | 57.36 | 1:54.57 |
| 15 | Hiroatsu Takahashi | JPN | 10 | 57.53 | 57.10 | 1:54.63 |
| 16 | Matthias Guggenberger | AUT | 16 | 57.70 | 57.12 | 1:54.82 |
| 17 | Maurizio Oioli | ITA | 20 | 57.69 | 57.27 | 1:54.96 |
| 18 | Raphael Maier | AUT | 15 | 57.83 | 57.51 | 1:55.34 |
| 19 | John Farrow | AUS | 23 | 57.84 | 57.73 | 1:55.57 |
| 20 | Ben Sandford | NZL | 26 | 58.00 | 57.75 | 1:55.75 |
| 21 | Kyle Tress | USA | 12 | 57.85 | 58.13 | 1:55.98 |
| 22 | Yuki Sasahara | JPN | 19 | 58.22 | 58.07 | 1:56.29 |
| 23 | Alexandros Kefalas | GRE | 22 | 58.20 | 58.33 | 1:56.53 |
| 23 | Hansin Lee | KOR | 24 | 58.41 | 58.12 | 1:56.53 |
| 25 | Dorin Velicu | ROU | 27 | 58.72 | 58.44 | 1:57.16 |
| 26 | Ander Mirambell | ESP | 25 | 58.58 | 58.72 | 1:57.30 |
| 27 | Sean Greenwood | IRL | 21 | 57.99 | 65.11 | 2:03.10 |
